Howard started to work under the name Merri Howard-Gorrin as stage manager on the television series Brothers in 1984, which featured TNG guest star Hallie Todd. She then worked as second assistant and later first assistant director on the television series MacGyver (1985-1987).

After the end of Star Trek: Enterprise, Howard served as producer on the television series Just Legal (2005-2006). In 2006 she joined the production of the drama series Cold Case, first as line producer, then as producer, and since 2008 as co-executive producer. The series paired Howard on the production team with Voyager star and director Roxann Dawson. In 2010 she worked as producer on the drama series The Whole Truth; most recently she worked as producer on the political drama series Scandal.

Howard is married to Merrill Sindler and her daughter Sarah Jenny was born on 27 October 1998.